Dear all,

Here I leave you a description of a Volunteering Position as WASH Coordinator in rural areas in the Dominican Republic:

Volunteering Position as WASH Coordinator, rural Dominican Republic

About the need
The municipality of Baitoa is located in the Dominican Republic’s northern province of Santiago and is home to approximately 14,000 people. The area is largely rural, and offers few economic prospects to residents, many of whom are entrenched in a cycle of generational poverty. Due to the general lack of industry in Baitoa, national government provides little investment in social services & basic infrastructure, such as quality education, employment opportunities, healthy recreation, accessible medical resources, running water, and waste management.

About the organization
Fundación Iluminando Corazones Necesitados, Inc. (Project Hearts) is a Dominican NGO seeking the sustainable development of Baitoa by offering education in the areas of physical health, socio-emotional health, and financial health. We do this so residents will have the knowledge & resources needed to transform their own communities, rather than depending on others to do so for them.

We currently run four key educational programs:
-- Community Health Leadership: focus on empowerment of women, preventative health (especially as it relates to water & hygiene), nutrition, family planning, and maternity care
-- WASH (Water Access, Sanitation & Hygiene): focus on efficient use of water, environmental care (especially through sanitation & waste management), and affordable water storage & purification technologies
-- Rural Agriculture Development: focus on importance of consuming fruits & vegetables, guide individuals, families & communities in starting their own gardens, and in the future hope to organize a farmers’ market so producers can sell their surplus
-- Integral Education: focus on leading Bible studies & community groups, which help participants overcome mental & emotional barriers to development

As an organization we want to be catalysts of holistic development, which means all our programs overlap and reinforce each other.

About the job
We are seeking to hire a W.A.S.H. Program Coordinator, who will be responsible for overseeing various aspects of on-going activities, as well as pursuing opportunities to expand our impact, especially in the areas of wastewater treatment and solid waste management.

On-going activities:
1) Educational, interactive workshops related to W.A.S.H. topics and environmental education
Specific responsibilities
• Coordinate with local schools & community groups to plan dates for workshops
• Coordinate with Ministry of Education officials to receive approval for presenting workshops in schools
• Implement workshops throughout Baitoa, and/or develop a sustainable strategy for training community leaders to conduct workshops long-term
• Maintain organization and efficient use of workshop materials

2) Distribution of discounted water storage & purification technologies, namely water tanks with rain catchment systems and ceramic water filters, which are paid off in increments over one year
Specific responsibilities
• Oversee two assistants in the creation of new contracts for tanks & filters, and in the collection of loan repayments
• Oversee two workers who construct platforms for water tanks
• Coordinate with suppliers of tanks & filters
• Ensure timely delivery & installment of products
• Coordinate with local Community Health Leaders to conduct 3 rounds of monitoring per year for all tanks & filters
• Oversee two assistants as they enter data in monitoring system
• Ensure organization & accuracy of data

3) Administrative duties
Specific responsibilities
• Communicate regularly with Executive Director
• Compose monthly reports to summarize W.A.S.H. productivity & hurdles faced

4) Fundraising & volunteer hosting
Specific responsibilities
• Assist in seeking new sources of funding – both individuals & grants – for the W.A.S.H. program
• Contribute to the completion of grant applications & proposals
• Assist in hosting occasional volunteer teams who donate & install water tanks, and oversee their work to ensure quality

Opportunities to expand:
1) Sanitation/wastewater treatment
Specific responsibilities
• Research & develop feasible options for introducing wastewater treatment in Baitoa
• Take over communications with local NGOs & stakeholders related to sanitation
• Assist in implementation of sanitation solutions

2) Solid waste management
Specific responsibilities
• Take over communications with local companies, organizations, and government officials to develop & implement efficient systems for the environmentally friendly management of solid waste, including household and community-based recycling and composting

Skills needed to be successful in this position
• Very strong in Spanish & English, both verbal & written
• Practical & academic experience in water, sanitation & hygiene in developing countries (a degree in civil or environmental engineering would be an asset, but not required)
• Good with people, including conflict management
• Delegation & supervision of others to complete tasks
• Computer literacy, especially using Microsoft Office programs, and preferred knowledge of mapping programs (including Google Maps)
• Ability to work in a busy environment
• Community outreach & engagement experience
• Confidence in teaching
• Ability to collaborate with others to achieve goals
• Successful grant writing experience; previous connections to W.A.S.H. funders or organizations preferred
• Flexibility & patience
• Organization & ability to prioritize workload and meet deadlines
• Willingness to take initiative, problem-solve, and make decisions when needed
• Ability to work & travel in remote areas with occasionally difficult road conditions
• Valid driver’s license

Preferred commitment
Ideal candidates will be able to commit to the position for at least 1 year, but contracts of 6 months are also possible

Compensation
$350 USD per month

How to Apply
Please email cover letter and CV to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Ideal starting date is July 15, 2018, but the position will remain open until filled.